


we pretend that we just don't care

by xylomylo



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 20:00:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11169039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xylomylo/pseuds/xylomylo
Summary: "where did you learn to kiss like that?" is the first thing that comes out of her mouth and jihyo can't, can't help herself but ask that because what the fuck, how can a seventeen-year old kiss like that?tzuyu grins. "it's a secret."





	we pretend that we just don't care

**Author's Note:**

> title from lorde's sober, bc im too excited for her new album. also this paring is too cute for the world

it's another one of those sleepless nights where her stomach is growling, and jihyo gives up trying to sleep. she pads out quietly to the kitchen in search for a snack, when she notices that the lights in the living room are on. 

 

leader-mode on, she's about to reprimand whoever it was that wasn't getting enough rest but the sight of tzuyu sitting at the kitchen counter with books strewn all over makes her stop short. 

 

she vaguely remembers sadness-unnie saying something about the younger girl having to take an entrance exam to apply for high school in korea, and figures this must be it. the way tzuyu's hunched over her books with her eyebrows furrowed, mumbling to herself makes worry trickle down jihyo's chest.

 

("would you ever do that? go to another country alone and leave everything behind?" nayeon whispers.

 

jihyo adjusts the blanket covering tzuyu, who's shivering despite the many layers. "i could never be that brave.") 

 

it's the third night in a row that she's seen the younger girl giving up sleep for her studies, and being their leader she's taken it upon herself to look out for the younger ones, especially the foreigners (tzuyu). 

 

"tzuyu-ah," she calls out softly.

 

the younger girl looks up, dark circles looking more prominent than ever and jihyo hardens her resolve in making her go to sleep.

 

"you need to sleep," she pries the pen out of tzuyu's hand, but is met with resistance as tzuyu shakes her head. 

 

"i have to finish this," the younger girl says, jaw set and eyes hard jihyo doesn't have the heart to say no. tzuyu is determined and tzuyu is certain, but jihyo sees the exhaustion behind the iron wall the younger girl works hard to put up - her hangul is messier than usual, and there is a lack of coloured pens decorating the counter. 

 

"no."

 

it comes out harsher than intended, and she sees it in the way tzuyu's eyes flicker down to her lap.

 

"no," jihyo tries again, softer. "you've been staying up these few nights, and i'm worried. i know the exam's important but you've got to take care of yourself, okay?" she reaches out for the pen again and this time, pulls it out of tzuyu's grip easily. 

 

the younger girl goes quiet, and jihyo mentally chides herself for coming off too strong. she makes quick work of the books on the counter, glancing at tzuyu from the corner of her eye, afraid she's hurt her -

 

"i'm sorry."

 

jihyo's eyes widen as tzuyu looks up at her. 

 

"i'm sorry for worrying you, unnie," she continues, and jihyo doesn't know if she should laugh or cry. tzuyu, who left home to pursue her dream of being a singer in another country altogether, who probably feels homesick all the time, still manages to put other people in front of herself. tzuyu is so precious and kind and has a heart bigger than herself and jihyo _hates_ that. hates how those netizens call her fake, call her out on her cold demeanor, all the hate comments that she wishes she could erase, because _how could you hate on a child with so much love for everyone?_

 

she wraps her arms around the other girl. its times like these where tzuyu looks her age, as compared to the stage costumes the stylists usually put her in that makes her look much older. 

 

"let's go to sleep?" she murmurs into tzuyu's hair, and feels the other girl nod in response.

 

 

/

 

 

snack forgotten, jihyo ends up putting tzuyu to sleep, tucking the younger girl in with minjoong as quietly as possible, trying not to wake the other members. she's about to leave, drowsiness setting in when a hand clamps around her wrist.

 

"jihyo-unnie."

 

the younger girl pauses, and jihyo's attention is on her - (when is it ever not?). she watches the gears in tzuyu's head turn, the way she knows the younger girl is thinking of how to word her sentence carefully, always cautious - it's slightly different this time, when she notices tzuyu's wringing her hands.

 

"s-sleep with me?"

 

jihyo blinks. she's not sure if she heard it right, but the faint blush on tzuyu's cheeks makes it real and her heartbeat echos through her ears. she's heard that phrase almost a million times from nayeon or jeongyeon when they craved company, but this coming from tzuyu - someone who has yet to open up fully to the team, who is also the one person jihyo has a soft spot for (nayeon and jeongyeon never fail to not tease her about it, and she prays to god no one will ever find out) - jihyo feels her face heating up in response.

 

"okay," she says, and climbs in bed with shaky hands. jihyo wriggles around, trying not to jostle the other girl who's already comfortable. but tzuyu's always unpredictable, and when she tangles their legs together jihyo thinks its possible for her heart to explode out of her chest. it's illegal, really, the way the sleep shorts on the younger girl rides up to dangerous levels, when she feels every inch of her legs that could go on for days, the soft breaths on her neck -

 

jihyo gulps.

 

at this point they're pressed up against one another, and jihyo swears her face heats up even more when she chances a look at tzuyu. the younger girl looks so _soft_ , in her no make-up glory, eyes twinkling even in the dark.

 

"unnie," tzuyu whispers. "are you nervous?" 

 

it's as though the circumstances have changed, with tzuyu being the unnie offering comfort to jihyo, and the thought makes jihyo laugh.

 

"you're really brave, you know?" she murmurs into the space between them, and jihyo feels warm all over when tzuyu smiles in response, nose crinkling and eyes disappearing into happiness.

 

"i like you, unnie."

 

her sentence is punctuated by the sudden thunder, and jihyo feels the other girl flinch. She finds tzuyu's head burrowed into her chest, fingers digging into her waist. it's instinctual, the way her body reacts by pulling tzuyu closer, fingers idly combing through her hair. maybe it's because she's used to caring for her younger sister, but it feels natural, warm, and jihyo thinks she never wants to get out of bed.

 

a few seconds later tzuyu looks up, embarrassed. the younger girl chews on her bottom lip like she always does but this time, something in jihyo _snaps -_ her eyes flicker down to tzuyu's lips, half a mind to scold her for the bad habit, but the tingling in her abdomen speaks volumes, and jihyo kisses her.

 

it's supposed to be nothing more than a press of lips, but tzuyu's hands are suddenly in her hair and she's pulled impossibly closer. jihyo is surprised at the aggression and returns the kisses with fervour, but when she feels a hand creeping under her pajama top, she shivers, jerking away sharply. 

 

"where did you learn to kiss like that?" is the first thing that comes out of her mouth and jihyo can't, _can't_ help herself but ask that because _what the fuck, how can a seventeen-year old kiss like that?_

tzuyu grins. "it's a secret."

 

she tightens her hold on jihyo, and presses a kiss to the base of her neck before saying goodnight, words muffled by jihyo's skin. the room falls silent, only punctured by the thunderstorm outside, and jihyo is nowhere near sleep.

 

the younger girl remains a better part of a mystery, and there are so many sides of tzuyu that jihyo wishes she could see them all, pick apart each and every one of them and imprint them in her memory. kind tzuyu, precious tzuyu, that the outside world doesn't deserve, and jihyo would choose to keep her in the dorms in a heartbeat. 

 

tzuyu's breathing falls steady, and jihyo knows the younger girl must've been way more tired than she'd let on. she barely remembers the stress of being a student, but studying in another language definitely takes the cake.

 

her chest feels warm and tingly when tzuyu mumbles incoherently in her sleep, and she comforts herself by making sure to be there for tzuyu, to double her efforts in taking care of the younger girl, before jihyo lets herself be lulled to sleep by tzuyu's heartbeat, and dreams of the promises of tomorrow.


End file.
